Any Chainsaw experts?

[bottomwatcher]

Efco 156 has been an excellent saw. Compression is a little over 100 cold, blue solid spark, will not even make a pop on starting fluid. So I have compression, spark and fuel. I inspected flywheel to see if it had slipped changing the timing but it looks ok. Kind of stumped on what to look for next? 

[datzenmike]

I did have the woodruf key shear on my Husqvarna allowing the flywheel to slip the timing. It looked fine and there was spark but who knows where the spark timing was. I cut a minimum 3 cords per year for 15 or more years. Only ever took the plug out to dry it, never touched it other than to clear sawdust, just an amazing saw.

[bottomwatcher]

Same issue with a lawnmower. Sheared woodruff key that is why I was inspecting the flywheel. I need to get the nut off first for a better look and may need the string in cylinder since the flywheel is delicate. Thanks for the second opinion on this and letting me know it can happen on a chainsaw too.

[flyerdan]

If you have air, use an air hammer with a pulley driver to give it a bit of persuasion with a little tension on it.  Should come right off without hurting anything.

I used that method to get a centrifugal clutch off a couple of Homelites a little while ago.

If it was running fine before, that's likely the culprit.  Although given how hard it is to get these tapered seats apart, you'd think it would torque a rod apart before the flywheel would slip, but there you go.

[wayno]

8 hours ago, bottomwatcher said:

Efco 156 has been an excellent saw. Compression is a little over 100 cold, blue solid spark, will not even make a pop on starting fluid. So I have compression, spark and fuel. I inspected flywheel to see if it had slipped changing the timing but it looks ok. Kind of stumped on what to look for next? 

Is it fresh fuel?

Are you using pump gas or non-ethanol fuel?

 

I only use non-ethanol fuel in my small engines as I want them to start after sitting for extended periods of time.

 

 

 

[bottomwatcher]

Yeah I only use non ethanol. I took the whole carb out of the equation with the starting fluid. I have compression and spark. The starting fluid is the fuel and still no pop so has to be timing at this point. A pop and no run chase other issues. I have the nut off the flywheel but it is not machined to the end to see where the woodruff key is and I need longer and smaller bolts to use my flywheel puller. Headed to town tomorrow so no progress till then 

[thisismatt]

Grab/lift by flywheel, smack crank with mallet?

[bottomwatcher]

Your a Savage Matt! I got the right bolts and used my flywheel puller aaaaand the woodruff key is fine. I am completely stumped. Won't even pop with start fluid sprayed directly into cylinder. Nice blue spark on old and new plug.

[datzenmike]

Can you chuck a socket into an electric drill and spin it?

[thisismatt]

Plug wire damaged and either not conducting or arcing to ground when fitted in its normal position?

[paradime]

29 minutes ago, thisismatt said:

Plug wire damaged and either not conducting or arcing to ground when fitted in its normal position?

 

I had that exact same thing happen on an outboard motor. Having the plug wire laying backwards to check spark was like an on off switch. I pulled and checked the wire and saw NOTHING, but changed it anyway. Problem gone. A multi-meter revealed the gremlin. 

[bottomwatcher]

I am open to anything at this point it seems impossible not to pop. I plug the sparkplug into the wire, ground it to the head and it makes beautiful hot spark. Put the plug in and spray starting fluid into the carb and nothing! Compression over 100, spark, timing is correct, good spark this is driving me fucking nuts. If a carb problem start fluid negates it and I can figure that out later. I have been using a brand new e3 plug and the original with no difference.

[datzenmike]

Ones I have seen are just barely long enough to slip over the end of the plug forcing you to pull and stretch it just to put it on. That can't be good.

[thisismatt]

Is the wire integrated into the magneto? Try wrapping the wire with electrical tape or sheath with a hose...?

[bottomwatcher]

Ok will give that a go. Most of my electrical problems are grounding issues anyways. Thanks for the tips. On a side note I was having issues with my house power and found a lizard had turned himself into a temporary fuse. I am getting tired of all the weird shit.

[Thomas Perkins]

Beats the shit out of me.I have a Stihl. Had it for 12 years. Use ethnol gas,and leave my gas in it and it starts right up.Make sure you have the blade lock off when cranking.Just did put a new chain on it this year.Never had a problem with it. My Siihl weed eater is 14 years old.In the weed eater,Mine has a plug screwed in the muffler,it got clogged up and wouldn't start,check your's,here is mine..Don't know if my chain saw has a plug,never had a problem with it.Some people use a torch to clean the plug but they only cost 10 bucks.When i replaced,I took the muffler off and cleaned the inside.If your's has no plug,then your muffler may be clogged up.Not going to start if it is clogged up.Tell em Mike...

Edited December 22, 2022 by Thomas Perkins

[angliagt]

2 hours ago, bottomwatcher said:

Ok will give that a go. Most of my electrical problems are grounding issues anyways. Thanks for the tips. On a side note I was having issues with my house power and found a lizard had turned himself into a temporary fuse. I am getting tired of all the weird shit.

 

      Don't forget the Iguanas falling out of the trees.

 

[bottomwatcher]

Ok guys thanks for all the help and I don't want to leave you hanging. I tried looking for any damage to the magneto to the sparkplug boot. All good. No damage to grounding switch wire. I left the shroud off and watched for spark again with the plug removed. Perfect spark! Sprayed start fluid in cylinder. Reinstalled plug. Nothing! Sprayed start fluid in carb still nothing. I hate to quit but fuck it I am out on this. Borrowed a saw and will be shopping for a new one in the spring. Thanks again for all the input.

[bilzbobaggins]

Not a similar chainsaw story but comical.  My buddy has a poulan that we used for a few years.  Then it got a comical problem.  Starts on first pull.  Revs up.  Will idle all day.  You can juggle with the damn thing.  Drop it and it still runs.  Get it within 2 inches of a log?  Dies.  I couldnt get it to run right.  He took it to the local "expert " shop.  Same.  Took it to another place.  Same thing.  The thing will run in the same position if you pretend there is a log.  It will rev up.  Cant sneak up on a log or it stalls.   It was about the funniest shit our drunk asses had seen.  He bought another one after spending more on trying to fix it than the damn thing cost.

 

Sucks you couldnt get that one running

[ratpatrol66]

Sorry I can't help but a related story. Sold my brother a Honda E2200i generator with very low run time, 30hrs maybe? He used it about 8hrs and it died, will fire stumble and die. Local guru couldn't figure it out. I had a look and all of the elements were there to run. Fuel, comp. spark and air. Its starts to happen but won't continue. Honda repair shop has had it for 2 weeks and can't figure it out? I'm suspect of a few things but the shop shut me down. Maybe time for a 12ga. or dynomite?

[The Taterhead]

I know it sounds crazy but I had a similar issue with one of my chainsaws. Make sure the chain brake/blade lock safety guard is pulled back completely. Mine was in the off position, but would only start after I wrapped a bungee cord around it and the handle to hold tension. 

[Z23T]

On 12/21/2022 at 5:45 PM, Thomas Perkins said:

Beats the shit out of me.I have a Stihl. Had it for 12 years. Use ethnol gas,and leave my gas in it and it starts right up.Make sure you have the blade lock off when cranking.Just did put a new chain on it this year.Never had a problem with it. My Siihl weed eater is 14 years old.In the weed eater,Mine has a plug screwed in the muffler,it got clogged up and wouldn't start,check your's,here is mine..Don't know if my chain saw has a plug,never had a problem with it.Some people use a torch to clean the plug but they only cost 10 bucks.When i replaced,I took the muffler off and cleaned the inside.If your's has no plug,then your muffler may be clogged up.Not going to start if it is clogged up.Tell em Mike...

Making sure the muffler and spark arrestor aren't plugged is good advise. On my 2-stroke dirt bike I use a plug in the end of the silencer/muffler when I wash it and if I forget to remove it the bike will not start.

 

[wayno]

This morning my 521 work truck would not start, it seems like whenever I let it sit for a while or if it is raining out it will not start unless it starts the first try, it gets annoying, this morning after it failed to start I removed the distributor cap and sprayed it and the inside of the distributor with electrical spray(outside also), it did not start, so i removed all the plugs and cleaned them and set the gap, I also light off each cylinder to know it is not flooded, the first 3 holes ignited normally, number 4 almost blew my muffler to smithereens again, it was like a bomb went off, I put it back together and it started immediately. 

[datzenmike]

wayno get a Nitrile glove an pin prick the tips of  the fingers. You will have to pull each nipple off of each wire and shove the wire through the pin hole*. Put the nipples back on and fit into the distributor cap. Roll the glove up like a comdom and slip over the cap and unroll down over the rest of the distributor. Nitrile is petroleum resistant so this glove will easily last the winter. 

 

*Has to be pin hole so glove fits tight around the wire to keep water out.

 

Did this to my 620 and never had a problem of moist air condensing on or inside my distributor cap. Stays bone dry even if power washing the engine. Happy starting.

[bottomwatcher]

So Wayno what are you doing to light off? Stick lighter to the sparkplug hole? I burned all the hair off a couple of fingers screwing around like that so I never did that again but if it works I guess I could give it a go